Christopher DiCapua, left, and Oscar Cabrera kiss after saying their wedding vows Friday, May 23, 2014, at City Hall in Philadelphia. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania became the final Northeastern state and the 19th in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. Republican Gov. Tom Corbett said Wednesday he would not appeal a federal judge’s ruling that overturned the state’s 1996 ban. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The first gay marriages entered the history books at Philadelphia City Hall on Friday, as exhilarated couples both young and old exchanged vows.
Eight couples were married in the mayor’s gilded reception room, days after a federal judge lifted the state’s same-sex marriage ban.
“We couldn’t really turn that (offer) down because it is such a historic day for our community, and for Philadelphia,” said 32-year-old printing company owner Adam Woods as he prepared to marry actor Justin Jain.
Eight city judges performed the weddings simultaneously as family and friends circled around the couples.
“I’m full of love and pride for our city, our community and each other,” said Jain, who is also 32.
Pennsylvania could host scores of same-sex weddings this weekend after a federal judge Tuesday threw the state’s 1996 ban on “the ash heap of history.” Gov. Tom Corbett, who has fought gay marriage on several fronts, decided Wednesday not to appeal, saying it would be unlikely to succeed.
“Some questions are no-brainers, and hopefully they’ll be political nonstarters (now), too,” Woods said of the gay community’s fight for the right to marry.
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